Torpedo.



B. P. s. ANDREWS.

TDRPEDO.

APPLIOATION FILED DBO. 3, 1908,

925,857. Panteagune 22, 1909.

ATTOHNE V8 `To all .whom it may concern.`

UNITED lerares. persistir orribili. A

EDWARD PAUL SAWYER ANDREWS, OF WEST WINDHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

TORPEDO.

.Be it `lmown that I, EDWARD l). S. AN.- DREWS, `a citizenof the United States, and a resident Of Irlest Windham, in the .county of `2B..c-.clerigir/.ini .and State Aof New Hampshire, 1

have invented a newand Improved Torpedo, of `which the following is a full, cleanand .exact description. E

This invention relates to torpedoes such as :are used in the `operation of railways, and which set `On the rails yas 4a Warning to a train which is running 4with too little headway in ,the rear .of another train.

In its general construction the invention comprises a plate .which forms va saddle or seat upon the head ofthe rail., to which there is attached a receptacle for an explosive. This receptacle is in the form of a flattened tube, and the object of the invention is to arrange the tube in such a way that the pressure of the Wheel which discharges the tor pedo will hold the ends of the tube closed. In this way the bursting of the receptacle by the force of the explosion isinsured, and also a loud report. ,1

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts to be-fmore fully described hereinafter and particularly set forth in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the iigures.

Figure 1 is a perspective of a torpedo constructed according to' my invention, the head of the rail being indicated by dotted lines so as to illustrate the manner in which the torpedo is placed on the track; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the flattened tube or receptacle for the explosive, representing the same in the extended position which it has before it is placed on the plate or holder; and

\ Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section taken through the device in a plane transverse to the rail, and showing also a short portion of the head of the rail upon which the torpedo i l is placed.

Referring more particularly to the parts, l represents a plate adapted to be formed of sheet steel or similar material, the body of which is substantially flat so as to lie upon theupper face of the rail head 2. The edges of this plate are turned downwardly so as to form flanges 3 which lie against the sides of Specification of Letters Patent.

Application `filed December 3, 1908.

Patented D" une 2 2, 1909.

.Serial No. 465,797. i

e the head the device is applied, as indi- The width of the plate cated in Fig. 3. measured longitudinally of the rail is reduced near its middle `so Vas to form a neci or shank 4l, and the side edgesof this shank are formed with integral tongues 5 which are bent up.- Wardly in order to engage the edges of the cartridge 6, as indicated in Fig. l. The car.- tridge is formed of 4a flat tube 7 rof paper ,or lsimilar A material. This tube is preferably formed of a plurality of layers, as shown. In constructing the cartridge, the explosive 8 is introduced into the tube so as to form a mass near the middle portion thereof, as shownin Fig. 2. The .extent of this filled portion of the whe should bc about 4One-third cf thc entire length of the tube. The flattened end yportions 9 of the tube are then folded upon each other on the under side of the body or middle section of the tube. The cartridge 6 which is formed in this manner is then applied to the upper face of the plate or holder l, and is secured to the plate by crimping the tongues 5 upon its ends or front and rear edges. The cartridge is applied so that the axis of the tube is disposed longitudinally with respect'to the rail. Fromthis arrangement it will be seen that when the wheel of an approaching train strikes the torpedo, the pressure at the edge of the cartridge when the wheel rolls upon it, will close the ends orv mouths of the tube, and this will occur from this way the escape of the gases from the eX- 'plosion is prevented except as may occur through the rupture of the wall of the tube. Thus I insure that the explosion will burst the wall of the receptacle and a loud report will be produced.

Attention is called to the advantage of bending the `ends of the tube under the middle portion or body portion. The advantage in doing this lies in the fact that when the weight of the wheel comes `uponthe body of the cartridge, the pressure is distributed by the body on the ends `of the tube lying beneath it, and in this way the ends of the tube are held more perfectly sealed than i would otherwise occur.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent,-M

1. A torpedo comprising a receptacle for `an explosive, partially filled with an eXplo- `sive and having its end portions folded under the body thereof, the mouths of said end portions being disposed at the transverse edges engaged by the wheel.

2. A torpedo comprising a cartridge formed of a flattened tube, the middle portion whereof is provided with an explosive, the end portions of said tube being folded under the body thereof.

3. A torpedo comprising a cartridge formed of a flattened tube, the middle portion whereof is provided with an explosive, the end portions of said tube being folded under the body thereof, and means for attaching said cartridge on a rail with the axis oflsaid tube extending longitudinally of the ra1 4. A torpedo consisting of a cartridge holder, in combination with a cartridge formed of a flattened tubular receptacle, the middle portion whereof is provided with an explosive, the end portions of said receptacle being folded under the body thereof, said cartridge being attached to said cartridge holder with the axis of said tubular receptacle extending longitudinally of the rail.

5. A torpedo consisting of a plate adapted to seat on the upper face of a rail, having tongues on the transverse edges thereof, and a cartridge retained by said tongues and consisting of a flattened tube, the middle portion whereof is provided with an explosive, the end portions of said tube being folded under the body thereof at the end edges, said tube being engaged by said tongues.

6. A torpedo consisting o f a cartridge holder, in combination with a cartridge formed of a flattened tubular receptacle, the middle portion whereof is provided with an explosive, the end portions of said receptacle being folded under the body thereof and having their mouths disposed adjacent the end edges of said middle portion, said cartridge holder having means for grasping the end edges of said body portion and the mouths of said end portions.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD PAUL SAWYER ANDREWS.

Witnesses:

FRANCIS NEWTON CHRISTOPHER, FRANK A. CROWELL. 

